The Fallout
by Billye
Summary: Takes place after GoF. Blaise Zabini is in his fifth year. Voldemort was reborn and now Blaise, and the rest of the wizarding world is on the lookout.
1. Blaise Zabini

**Blaise Zabini**

Allow me to introduce you to my newest and latest obsession, I believe this one will last quite some time. He is Blaise Zabini (notice that I said _he_. That would be because Blaise is male. Is he _supposed_ to be female?

Why do the best characters seem to be in JKR's books the least? I mean you can count on one finger how many times Blaise is in the stupid series (it's not stupid, just when it comes to not including Blaise). He's in it _once_! Why can't he be in it more often? Oh well, leave it more to everyone's imagination, that can always be a good thing.

So, my Blaise _is_ male. I've given up on those of you who make him female, because I just no longer care, but Blaise _ IS MALE _ OK? I don't know why you make him female, I mean, there's so many other characters you can make female or who already are female, why do you have to make Blaise female? I'm sorry, but he's not female, he's just not. Got that out of my system - you'd be surprised, it came out a lot nicer then it may have come out. Lucky you!

Alright back to _my_ Blaise aka Zab. It's just a thing. When you are thinking of my character let me give you some people to think about. He's kind of a mix between Denzel Washington (both versions from _Training Day_ and _Remember the Titans_, Zab has a bit of both), Will Smith, and a bit of DMX, also there's a tad smidge of some other pop-rapper in there (I guess that would be Nelly). So now you have a mental picture of Zab . . . trust me, the guy's as irresitable as he sounds.

You know what? Blaise so needs his own section - I don't care if there's only like 20 stories about him (or her - Oo, can't believe I willingly said that _shudders_. Plus there's more female Blaise fics then male. _shakes head at you all_). They still need a Blaise Zabini section - I mean they have one for Lily and James and they're both dead, why not one for Blaise who's alive? Hm? I won't understand. They should do the boy some favors and give him his own section.

I've probably (by now) caused several people to be slightly pissed with me because I'm so biased about Blaise being male, but that's not my problem. Do give my Zab a chance though - he didn't do anything to you, I may have, but he didn't.

*

**Disclaimer - based on the series by JK Rowling**

*


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

_In 1980 a boy was born, an ordinary sort of boy born to a kind, not-so-ordinary couple. Not even a year later people around the world were toasting to that little boy - The Boy Who Lived. _

*

On September 1, 1991 that boy was sent off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the finest wizarding school around.

*

In 1994, after thirteen years since his disappearance, Voldemort was reborn, possibly with more strength and more vengeance than ever seen before.

*

On August 20, 1994 a boy sat by his window, starring up at the stars, and that's where our story begins.

*

It had been a fair night up until then, a bit tense, but all together it had been all right. Then, with one sudden, received owl the fighting had begun.

Blaise Zabini sat on a chair by the window in his room and looked up into the stars, trying to block out the voices of his parents, but it was no use, he could still hear their yelling and screaming.

"John, I thought you were done with this? You told me you had finished!"

"Shut up! Just shut up!"

"Don't tell me to shut up! Tell me what's going on."

"I can't."

"What do you mean _you can't_? John, what the hell is going on?!"

There was a long silence and Blaise was hoping that it was all over, but he was wrong. As his mother and father continued to argue, Blaise continued to look into the stars, trying to put his parents out of his head. He didn't even notice when the door to his room opened and someone slipped inside.

"Blaise?"

Blaise jumped, almost falling out of his chair. He looked down to his younger brother who was sitting on the floor next to his chair. "Christien, how long have you been there?"

"Not long, five minutes," he shrugged. 

The moonlight shone into Blaise's room and caused the wet streaks on Christien's cheeks to glisten. From downstairs their parents' voices could still be heard, more distant than before, but the two brothers could tell they were still arguing.

Blaise didn't know what to say to help comfort his younger brother, so he put out a hand on his shoulder and gave him an encouraging sort of smile. Blaise then redirected his attention to the night sky, running his fingers across the silver tiger that hung from his neck.

There was no sense of time to the two, there never was a sense of time in situations like this. Time either passed by quickly, or didn't seem to pass by at all. Tonight was one of those quickly passing nights, for when Blaise next looked to his watch two hours had passed since his brother had entered his room. 

Christien had fallen asleep, curled up on the floor and Blaise gave a shy smile down to him. His parents had stopped fighting awhile ago, but that didn't stop Blaise from not being able to sleep. He still stared up into the inky sky, thoughts racing through his head. He knew why his parents were fighting, and it was easier for him to understand what was going on. Blaise felt sorry for his brother, he had no clue what was happening, all he knew was that his mother and father were having a huge argument, over what he did not know.

That's why Blaise was glad Christien had fallen asleep quickly, because shortly after the fighting began to escalate and their mother started to yell things that Blaise was sure she didn't want Christien to know. 

A crack of light disturbed Blaise's thoughts and gaze and he turned to the door that was now ajar, and in the doorway he saw his mother standing there.

"Where's your brother?"

"He's here. He fell asleep."

Blaise's mother entered the room and sat on the edge of the bed nearest to Blaise and Christien. "Look Blaise, I'm sorry you had to hear that. I didn't mean for you both to hear any of it, just you know how things get between me and your father at times and what with him receiving that owl, I just lost it." 

Blaise looked at his mother and then down to the floor at Christien. "Is it from him?"

She hung her head low and nodded, a tear rolled down her cheek.

"It'll be OK mum, it will." 

She looked up at her son, very proud that he was taking to the situation like this. She stretched out her hand and placed it on his cheek, giving him a smile. She then got up and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Thoughts were still racing through Blaise's head, but he ignored them as best he could. He lay on his bed, and soon fell asleep, hoping that tomorrow would be a better day then this one. 

*

Blaise awoke to a very silent house and to find that his brother gone from his room. He rolled out of bed, stretched and made his way downstairs where he found his mother cooking breakfast and Christien sitting at the table.

"Morning hun," she greeted cheerfully.

"Mornin'," Blaise slumped into a chair at the table beside Christien. _That's the way mornings always are, you act as if last night didn't even happen. That's the way you always used to act the morning after a fight._ Blaise yawned and scratched his forehead, "Dad left for work?"

"Yes, quite awhile ago. Hun, your Hogwarts letter arrived this morning. It's on the table, under the paper I think."

Blaise searched around for his letter, finally finding it, not under the Daily Prophet, but instead under Christien's already opened letter. Blaise opened his and read it, he quickly scanned the list of supplies he'd need for this year. "When are we going to Diagon Alley?"

She seemed to not have heard him, for instead of answering she went right on cooking.

"Mum?"

"Hm?"

"I asked when we were going to Diagon Alley." _That's another thing, you're always so spaced out the next morning._ Blaise shook his head.

"Oh, well about that. Can I get you to take your brother tomorrow? I can't go, I have too much to do. Sorry hun."

"Ya sure thing. What does he need? Won't he be taking all my books from third year?"

"Yeah," Christien said, "but I do need some things. Potions, quills and I'm taking Divination, which you never took. You took Ancient Runes."

Blaise nodded slowly. "Right . . ." he trailed off, dropping the end of his sentence.

"Good, now you two eat your breakfast and it's a nice day out, I don't want to see you inside." She handed the two boys their breakfast and went on bustling about the kitchen, cleaning pots and pans with a couple flicks of her wand. "Oh, and boys, your sister will also be in tomorrow. Before you head out . . . I know I said it was nice, but Christien, sweetheart, clean your room up, you'll be sleeping in your brother's room."

Christien nodded and went on eating his breakfast. 

"When's she coming in?" 

"I'm not sure hun, why?"

Blaise shrugged and took a bite of toast. "Haven't seen her in a while and we have to be in Diagon Alley tomorrow. I wouldn't mind being here when she gets in."

"Ill be talking to her later today. I'll arrange for her to meet you boys in Diagon Alley. Now get a move on, the both of you."

*

"Bye mum!" Blaise called as he rushed down the stairs, Christien not far behind. They quickly got to the fireplace in the living room and Blaise grabbed at a small black sac on the mantle. He threw some of the powder into the flames and Christien stepped in.

"Hun, remember you're meeting Shaylee at the Ice-Cream Parlour-"

"I know, at one. Bye." He turned to the fireplace, Christien already having disappeared, and stepped inside. He loudly said "DIAGON ALLEY!" and was whisked off. He found Christien waiting for him at the end of his journey and the two brothers exited the shop (a small pawn shoppe in which the fireplace was set up for that exact purpose - allowing witches and wizards to get to Diagon Alley via Floo Powder).

"Come on Christien, we have to be quick, Lee's meeting us in an hour and a half." Blaise led Christien to Gringott's where they gathered some money and then continued on buying all their needs for the next school year. 

"Lee!" Blaise greeted his sister happily at one o'clock. 

"Blaise! Christien!" she said with a smile, hugging her brothers. Shaylee was a twenty-two year old graduate from Hogwarts. She was now a representative of a Quidditch company, Nebula, and travelled around the world promoting for the company. She had just returned to London from a three-week business trip to Canada where she was endorsing the company's latest broomstick developments. 

The three siblings ordered some ice cream and took seats at one of the tables underneath a large, purple and yellow umbrella. 

"How was the trip?"

"Amazing. Canada is a fascinating country, you two would love it." 

The three chatted, mostly about Lee's trip, and then headed home - Shaylee Apparated, while the other two were forced into taking the Floo Network.

*

When Blaise returned to the house the first thing he noticed was the silence. He walked from the living room to the kitchen and never once saw or heard his mother. He looked to the kitchen table to see a note, he picked it up and began to read it. 

Christien walked into the kitchen then. "Blaise, get your stuff! Don't just leave it around everywhere!" 

Blaise stared at him, the note still in his hands, the lines still in his head. _Gone out. Your father won't be home tonight. Be back later. Mum._

"Guys, you back all right?" Shaylee popped her head into the kitchen. "Where's mum?" She caught on quick and took a seat just as Blaise did. Christien fled the room, running up the stairs to his room. 

"Dad didn't," Shaylee said, "he didn't go back." 

Blaise nodded. "I think so, and then mum's drinking again." 

"When did it all start?"

"Last night. Dad got an owl and they started fighting." 

"It's because he's back and he wants Dad again." 

"No shit!" Blaise exploded, quickly standing up. His chair crashed violently to the floor. "You don't think I don't know that Shaylee? You think I don't understand? I get it perfectly, all right?" Blaise sharply turned, picked up his bags and headed up to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Blaise sat in his room, angrily trying to clear his head. In just over a week he'd be returning to school and he didn't much feel like carrying this problem aboard the train with him. He nodded off eventually, not noticing when - or if - his mother got home. 

*


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter 2**

Blaise sighed heavily and slouched back in his chair. Professor Binns floated eerily infront of the fifth year Slytherin class and continued giving them a detailed account of the Goblin Rebellion at Dublin. 

From behind him, Blaise could hear Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson chattering quietly about the new school year. That was about all this class ever served to them, a center of gossip. Blaise shook his head and tried to refocus his attention on Binns' lecture, but he failed miserably, instead drifting into his own world of thoughts. 

The school year had not come quickly enough for Blaise. He'd been stuck at home with his absent-minded, half-pissed mother, his pesky and annoying older sister, his naive and callow younger brother and his secretive, but never around father. Blaise was starting to get very vexed with his family and the sharp turn his home life had taken. He wanted to escape it all and get away. Luckily the school was able to act as his safe haven. 

At the end of the class the Slytherins headed to the Great Hall for lunch, they all took seats at the Slytherin Table. 

"Do we have Dark Arts next?" Millicent asked to the group. 

"Yeah," Draco answered. "Jenkins, you just know he's going to be another one of those Gryffindor-loving gits." 

"You do not know that Draco," Millicent argued. 

He cowered at her. "Millicent, all our teachers, asides from Snape, are in love with those bloody pricks. Dumbledore, Hagrid, McGonagall, what's-her-name with the crystal balls and tea leaves - " 

"Trewlaney," Crabbe informed sitting to Draco's left. 

"Yeah, her, thanks Vince. Not to mention Lockhart, Lupin and who we all thought was Moody." 

"But he ended up almost killing Potter," Pansy said. 

"Minor detail. I'm just pointing out, it wouldn't surprise me if Jenkins is like that too." 

"Draco, you think just about everyone is against Slytherin," Blaise said. 

"Only because they are. Our headmaster is like Potter's safe guardian." He glared over at Potter, Weasley and Granger. The three seemed to be enjoying there little lunch hour. "Jenkins is going to be one of them, I know it." Draco then looked to the Head Table where Jenkins was talking to frizzy-haired Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher and Hufflepuff Head.

"Give it a rest Draco," Cory Nott said taking a seat at the table across from Pansy. 

He glared at her, but said nothing, except for a mumble under his breath directed at Vince. 

*

The Slytherins waited in the Dark Arts classroom, chattering away loudly. Professor Jenkins had yet to show up for his class with the fifth years, and, like all students, they were making up wild and unheard of rules that if he didn't show up soon the class was free to leave and they would have a free period. Of course this was a load of horse dung. 

"Good afternoon," Jenkins said as he waltzed into the classroom. "Take your seats, we are already running late." 

"That would have nothing to do with us," Draco muttered quietly to Vince and Greg. Draco thought he saw Jenkins give him a quick glare, but the teacher never said anything. 

He took out a piece of parchment, it seemed to be a class list as he looked over it, then to the class. He walked down the center aisle and stopped at Draco, who put on an instinctive smirk. 

"Mister Malfoy," Jenkins said with a slight nod, or perhaps what was an evil look. 

Blaise watched the new teacher with suspicions and wondered exactly what the hell he was up to. 

"Good luck with the Quidditch team this year," Jenkins returned to the front of the classroom, and did a one-eighty spin to face his students. "Oh, and Draco, watch your tongue, won't you?" 

Draco glared at him. 

"Now, I'd like to start with a quick review of what was covered last year. Mister Zabini," he looked to Blaise, "what are the Unforgivables?" 

"Three curses that when used against a wizard can earn a lifetime in Azkaban." "Right, otherwise known as being illegal. Cory, what is the Cruciatus curse?" Jenkins went on questioning the class for a good part of the period. Near to the end he assigned the class their homework. "Alright," he started, "Read pages seven, eight and nine in your textbooks, that will help you to become familiar with what we will be covering this year. Make a set of your own notes on the section and make sure it is done for next class." He dismissed the class then. 

"So Draco, how do you find the new teacher now?" Millicent taunted as they headed to the Slytherin common room. They had the rest of the Friday afternoon off. 

Draco shrugged, "Guess he's not so bad." 

"He seems to be cheering for a Slytherin win at Quidditch," Pansy stated happily. She entered the room and lounged in one of the emerald chairs. 

"It was only a small comment Pansy," Greg said. "Anyone could have said it." 

Pansy shrugged, rolled her eyes and headed to the girls' dormitory with Millicent and Cory. 

"How _is_ the team going to be this year?" Blaise asked now sitting were Pansy had been. 

"We have quite a few open positions, what with the skip in last year. Chaser's open," Draco hinted knowing if anywhere that's were Blaise would play. 

Blaise looked to Draco, picking up his little hint. "I'm not a Quidditch player Draco." 

"Zabini, you have talent, you just don't want to use it. Why not?" 

Blaise shrugged. He'd never really thought about playing on the house team. Of course he liked the sport and he did play it, but only for amusmant, never before for competition. 

"Well think about it. I'll be having tryouts soon enough, be there." 

Blaise then pulled out his Potions homework. He figured he might as well get some of it done now and not have to worry about it over the weekend. 

*

"Malfoy," one of the older students came and sat next to Draco at the table. He was Aaron Baddock, a seventh year who played as Beater on the team. "You better prove yourself as Captain," he threatened. Draco didn't say anything, he just glared fierily. Baddock shook his head, "Whyever Snape made you . . ." he trailed off, talking quietly to himself. He stood up to leave, "Potter the Gryffindor's Captain?" 

Draco nodded, "I think so. Wood's gone, they have no one else, unless one of those damn Weasleys is." Draco laughed to himself. 

"We'll squash them this year." Baddock ground his fist into his other hand and left the fifth years. 

"You'll do fine as Captain Draco," Pansy assured with a smile. 

Draco didn't look to convinced. He was slightly worried about it, but wouldn't let it get to him or anyone else. 

*

Ron glared toward the Slytherin Table, perhaps for no other reason than he had nothing else to do. 

"Oh Ron," Hermione siad, her back to the Slytherins, "get over it." 

He turned his glare on her instead and was about to argue back, but Harry intervened. 

"Anyone heard any new Quidditch rumors that could help me out? I need to get Gryffindor ready." 

"Nothing Harry," Ron said. 

"I heard Cho's the Ravenclaw Captain," Dean Thomas voiced. 

"Really?" Ron asked. "Come to think of it, who's the Slytherin Captain?" 

"Malfoy," Harry, Dean and Seamus Finnigan all said in unison, great loathing apparent in their voices. 

"Oi, your kidding?" 

"Nope," Seamus said. 

"Who's he got playing for him this year?" Ron asked. "God knows they're a team of cheaters." 

"The regulars. Baddock's a Beater, Bennet and some fourth year are Chasers and Malfoy's Seeker. I think all the other spots need filling." 

"I've heard Malfoy's trying to get Zabini in as the third Chaser," Dean said. "That's what he was telling those thugs of his in Potions." 

"Zabini?" Ron asked, puzzled. 

"Honeslty Ron, you're so . . ." Hermoine stopped herself, mainly because she couldn't think of anything to describe Ron's stupidity. "Blaise Zabini, fifth year, kind of quiet." 

Ron still had a confused look upon his dumb-stricken face. Hermione turned and pointed Blaise out to Ron. 

"Oh," Ron finally clued in. "Is he good?" 

"Does it matter?" Harry asked taking a quick drink. "How hard can a team run by _Malfoy_ be?" 

*


End file.
